There are two schools of thought when it comes to building an NFL roster: A) Get the quarterback, work everything else out or B) Build the roster, especially the lines, so whatever QB you get is set up
for success. Like most “or” questions, the answer is probably somewhere in between.
For the Cleveland Browns, it isn’t all about the quarterback, but that is the golden goose the team has been chasing for decades. Whether GM Andrew Berry and/or HC Kevin Stefanski will get to be the ones to make those key decisions is still up in the air. Getting past the Deshaun Watson trade has to be a priority for the team.
The 2026 NFL draft has some interesting quarterbacks, but we are far from locking in who will actually declare for the draft and deserve to be selected high.
Based on how the season has gone so far, as well as projecting ahead, there are currently 10 teams that could be in the market for quarterbacks next season. Not all of the following will, for sure, need a new starting quarterback but if they did, not all of them will find answers in the upcoming NFL draft.
2026 NFL draft order – Current slot for QB-needy teams
- New Orleans Saints – #2 pick
- Cleveland Browns – #4, 19
- New York Jets – #5
- Las Vegas Raiders – #6
- Miami Dolphins – #7
- Los Angeles Rams – #10, 27
- Arizona Cardinals – #11
- Pittsburgh Steelers – #20
- Jacksonville Jaguars – #52
- Indianapolis Colts – #64
Of the list, really only the Browns, Jets and Steelers seem to be certain to be looking for a new starter. Even then, New York is rumored to want to wait for the 2027 NFL draft class but will still, likely, need a new starter next year.
The Saints are seeing what they have in second-round pick Tyler Shough, the Raiders traded for and extended Geno Smith this offseason, the Dolphins have a huge contract with Tua Tagovailoa, the health of Matthew Stafford leaves his future up in the air year to year, and the Cardinals seem likely to move on from Kyler Murray.
The final two teams on the list are the least likely to be in the quarterback market, but are at least worth noting. Neither has its first-round pick, but are the Jaguars sold on Trevor Lawrence, and will Daniel Jones’ fairytale season come spiraling down? If they do, both teams will enter the market for a new quarterback while also adding two new names to the available players.
If not in the NFL draft, NFL free agency could provide some opportunities, but who can afford a starting-level quarterback, no matter who is actually available?
Projected 2026 Salary Cap Space for QB-needy teams
According to Over the Cap, this is the current cap space for the 10 teams noted above. We know there are lots of ways to create cap space, but that would be up to the teams to do in order to fit a significant quarterback contract in.
- Saints: -12.2 million (currently over the cap)
- Browns: -2.7 million (currently over the cap)
- Jets: 99.2 million
- Raiders: $107 million
- Dolphins: -10.6 million (currently over the cap)
- Rams: $87.6 million
- Cardinals: $32.5 million
- Steelers: $39.8 million
- Jaguars: $7.2 million
- Colts: $47.6 million
The Los Angeles Rams are perfectly set up whether Stafford retires or not. Two first-round picks and almost $90 million in cap space. New Orleans, Cleveland and Miami having bad records and negative cap space means those three need to find their next quarterback in the NFL draft if possible, while rebuilding a younger roster.
QBs set to hit the free agent market in 2026
To be frank, this list is never going to look strong. Even if a quarterback could become available, it is rare that a team allows that QB to get to the final year of their deal.
- Daniel Jones
- Aaron Rodgers
- Russell Wilson
- Marcus Mariota
- Tyrod Taylor
- Zach Wilson
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Mitch Trubisky
- Case Keenum
- Trey Lance
- Carson Wentz
- Malik Willis
While losing is never good, the number of teams that might need quarterbacks, the Browns lack of cap space, the team’s two first-round picks, and the very limited free agent market show that Cleveland may be better off, in the long term, by losing as many games as possible. If the Browns top pick can be used on a quarterback, the team will have another first-round pick and a high second-round pick to help surround them with valuable players at premium positions.
Cleveland’s 2025 draft class added some very good players to support a future quarterback, but now the team needs to get that guy and support him even more with assets used on the offensive line and wide receiver as well. The competition could be fierce or the best-case scenario for the Browns would be:
- Shough looking great for the Saints
- Jets waiting for the 2027 draft
- Raiders sticking with Smith and Pete Carroll
- Dolphins sticking with Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel
- Stafford staying healthy, signing for a few more years with the Rams
- Cardinals sticking with either Jacoby Brissett or Murray for another season
- Rodgers doing well enough for Mike Tomlin to want to keep him around for another year or Will Howard impressing the Steelers behind the scenes enough for them to pass
- Jaguars stick with Lawrence
- Colts stick with Colts
A few of those are likely to happen, but can Cleveland’s luck change just enough to give them their choice of quarterbacks in this year’s draft?
How many teams do you think will be looking for a quarterback this offseason? Do you believe the Browns need to force getting one high in the NFL draft?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below
